BuildMyLED launches an exciting 20K spectrum in their XB LED striplight

BuildMyLED has been working on a combination of LEDs to replicate the look and ‘feel’ of a classic 20,000 Kelvin Metal Halide aquarium light for some time. We first heard of this marvel of spectrum reproduction over a year ago and through lots of trials, BuildMyLED is finally ready to let loose their exclusive 20,000K XB LED Striplight.

Built on the new BuildMyLED XB platform, The new 20K spectrum uses a plethora of different blue LED diodes, with emphasis placed on key wavelengths including the highly photoreactive 400 and 420nm spectrum peaks. Instead of using a load of 450, 460, or 470nm LED that most striplights are populated with today, the BuildMyLED 20K striplights definitely leans towards the violet colors which dominated the late 90s and early 2000s.

Not only does the lower wavelength blue light make colors pop like woah, it also lines up with the absorption peaks of zooxanthellae photosynthetic pigments. The video of the BuildMyLED XB LED striplight looks incredible, very colorful and although it seems a little on the purpley side to our modern eyes, this is indeed the look of a freshly fired up 400w radium metal halide lamp, sometimes backed up with some old school VHO Super Actinic fluorescent tubes.

BuildMyLED’s new specifically 20K LED striplights are available now in a range of sizes, with 24″ strips selling for $225 and 48″ strips going for $335. [BuildMyLED]

Jake Adams has been an avid marine aquarist since the mid 90s and has worked in the retail side of the marine aquarium trade for more than ten years. He has a bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and has been the managing editor of ReefBuilders.com since 2008. Jake is interested in every facet of the marine aquarium hobby from the concepts to the technology, rare fish to exotic corals, and his interests are well documented through a very prolific career of speaking to reef clubs and marine aquarium events, and writing articles for aquarium publications across the globe. His primary interest is in corals which Jake pursues in the aquarium hobby as well as diving the coral reefs of the world.